HTC loses prelim patent ruling to Apple, takes stock hit

HTC violated two patents held by Apple, the US International Trade Commission confirmed in a preliminary ruling late last week.

However, the decision has yet to secure the backing of ITC commissioners. Despite that, the Financial Times reports that shares in HTC have tumbled 6.5 per cent as fears grew that the Taiwanese phone vendor would lose the case against Apple. If the ITC decision is finalised, the company could see its products banned from being shipped to the US market by the end of 2011.